Method, system, and software for transmission of information

ABSTRACT

A method, system and software for efficient transmission of information having dynamic information and static information are disclosed herein. A networked system having a remote site, a user, and a network is used to transmit information between the remote site and the user. The user sends a request for a set of information having dynamic information and static information, such as a hypertext markup language (HTML) file associated with a uniform resource locator (URL), to the remote site. The remote site, responding to the user&#39;s request, determines one or more dynamic portions and/or one or more static portions of the set of information. In one embodiment, a template representative of the set of information is used to aid in the determination of dynamic and static portions. The remote site transmits the one or more dynamic portions to the user, as well as instructions or references for accessing the one or more static portions from a location or file local to the user. If the contents of the static portions are not locally accessible by the user, the user can send a request for the static portions to the remote site. The user uses the transmitted dynamic portions and the references to the static portions stored locally to reconstruct the original set of information. The present invention finds particular application in HTML servers, whereby the illustrated method may be used to decrease the transmission time and/or the bandwidth used for transmitting one or more HTML files associated with a URL or a web site.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present invention relates generally to transmission of informationand more particularly to transmission of information over a network.

BACKGROUND

Data server systems, such as web servers, are often used to transmitinformation to users. For example, web sites on the World Wide Webutilize one or more data servers to distribute data associated with webpages. After receiving a request for a web page associated with auniform resource locator (URL) or Internet address, the data serverstransmits a hypertext markup language (HTML) files and its associatedimage files to the user sending the request.

The data transmitted by data server systems to users often has one ormore static portions and one or more dynamic portions, where the dynamicportions change more frequently than the static portions. For example, aHTML file could have one or more portions that represent a stock tickeror links to news articles on other web sites. Since these portionschange much more frequently than other portions of the HTML file, suchas legal disclaimer language, indices of links to search engine sites,etc., they may be considered to be dynamic, while the other portions maybe considered to be static. A major limitation of data server systems isthat the entire HTML file, i.e. both the static and dynamic portionsused to reproduce a set of information is transmitted each time the userrequests a particular set of information, even if there is no orrelatively little changed information. Sending the entire HTML fileusually results in an increase in transmission time and/or a decrease inthe available bandwidth.

Given this limitation, as discussed, it is apparent that a way to reducetransmission time or the required bandwidth would be advantageous.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various objects, advantages, features and characteristics of the presentinvention, as well as methods, operation and functions of relatedelements of structure, and the combination of parts and economies ofmanufacture, will become apparent upon consideration of the followingdescription and claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, allof which form a part of this specification, wherein like referencenumerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures, andwherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a networked system according toat least one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for transmittinginformation using the networked system of FIG. 1 according to at leastone embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a method for segregating a set ofinformation into dynamic portions and static portions according to atleast one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for segregating a set ofinformation into dynamic portions and static portions according to atleast one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a method for recombining dynamicinformation and static information to generate an original set ofinformation according to at least one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for recombining dynamicinformation and static information to generate an original set ofinformation according to at least one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating one implementation of a contentserver according to at least one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a system apparatus havingdifferent modules implemented by a content server according to at leastone embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for transmission ofinformation according to at least one embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIGS. 1–9 illustrate a networked system for efficient transmission ofinformation, as well as a method for its use. In at least oneembodiment, the networked system includes a remote site, one or moreusers, and a network to connect the remote site to the users. A usersends a request for a set of information having dynamic information andstatic information to the remote site. The remote site, responding tothe user's request, determines one or more dynamic portions and/or oneor more static portions of the set of information. In one embodiment, atemplate representative of the set of information is used to aid in thedetermination and segregation of dynamic and static portions. The remotesite transmits one or more dynamic portions to the user, as well asinstructions or references for accessing the one or more static portionslocal to the user. If the contents of the static portions are notlocally accessible to the user, the user can request the static portionsfrom the remote site. The user uses the transmitted dynamic portions andthe references to the static portions stored locally to reconstruct theoriginal set of information. One advantage of one embodiment of thepresent invention is that transmission time for a set of informationhaving dynamic and static information may be reduced by transmittingonly the dynamic information. Another advantage of one embodiment of thepresent invention is that the amount of bandwidth used to transmit a setof information having dynamic and static information to a user may bereduced by using information accessible to the user locally.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a system and method for improveddelivery of information is illustrated according to at least oneembodiment of the present invention. Networked system 100 includes user130, network 125, and remote site 105. User 130 can include any numberof devices capable of receiving and processing information, such as acomputer, a digital phone, and the like. For example, user 130 could bea desktop computer connected to the Internet (network 125) capable ofrequesting and receiving hypertext markup language (HTML) files from aremote HTML server (remote site 105) and interpreting the received HTMLfiles for display. Network 125 can include a variety of networks orconnections between user 130 and remote site 105. For example, network125 could include the Internet, a wireless network, a local area network(LAN), a serial connection, a bus, and the like. Remote site 105, in oneembodiment, includes intranet 115, template server 110, and contentserver 120. Intranet 115, as with network 125, can include any networkor connection between template server 110 and content server 120, suchas a LAN, a serial connection, a bus, etc. In one embodiment, intranet115 and network 125 are the same network. Template server 110 andcontent server 120 can include any devices capable of processing andoutputting information or data, such as a personal computer, aworkstation, a server, and the like. In at least one embodiment,template server 110 and content server 120 are implemented in a samedevice.

Although networked system 100 can be utilized for transmission ofdynamic and static information having various formats to user 130, amethod incorporating an embodiment where the dynamic and staticinformation are based on a markup language or control information, suchas HTML, is illustrated for ease of discussion. In step 210, user 130sends or transmits HTML request 140 to remote site 105, where HTMLrequest 140, in one embodiment, is a request for a monolithic HTML filesassociated with a HTML uniform resource locator (URL). In anotherembodiment, HTML request 140 could include a request for multiple HTMLfiles associated with a HTML URL. Note that the term “URL,” as usedherein, may be used to refer to an address or location used by user 130to locate or identify one or more files or sets of information on remotesite 105, or “URL” may be used to refer to the actual one or more filesor sets of information. In one embodiment, remote site 105 determinesthe capability of user 130 to implement embodiments of the presentinvention. For example, if user 130 utilizes a web browser to requestHTML files from remote site 105, remote site 105 could check the versionof the web browser, such as by using a hypertext transfer protocol useragent header sent by user 130, to determine if the user web browser iscapable of supporting the methods disclosed herein. For example, atleast one embodiment of the present invention makes use of theJavaScript programming language. If a web browser does not support thenecessary version of JavaScript, remote site 105 may choose to handlethe request for an HTML file from user 130 using alternative methods,including transferring the entire HTML file.

In one embodiment, content server 120 at remote site 105 determinestemplate 150 associated with HTML request 140 in step 220. Sincetemplate 150 may be occasionally updated, template server 110, in oneembodiment, is utilized as a staging area for updated templates 150. Inthis case, each time template 150 is updated, template server 110 cantransmit the updated template 150 over intranet 115 to content server150, where the updated template 150 can be stored. Template 150, in oneembodiment, is a file or set of data used to develop a finished set ofinformation based on template 150. For example, template 150 can containHTML control information, instructions, text, and context specificidentifiers, herein referred to as tags, used to construct one or moreHTML files to be sent to user 130. The format and content of template150 can be based on the HTML URL requested by user 130, the identity orother property of user 130, and the like.

In at least one embodiment, template 150 includes data or informationused by content server 120 to divide the information associated withtemplate 150 into dynamic information and static information. The term“dynamic information,” as used herein, refers to a portion ofinformation associated with a set of information that changes or ismodified relatively frequently. On the other hand, the term “staticinformation,” as used herein, refers to a portion of informationassociated with the set of information that changes or is modified lessfrequently. For example, the set of information could include HTML dataused to display a web site on a user's web browser. The dynamicinformation could include information, such as instructions and otherindicators, associated with elements of the website that changefrequently, such as articles from other websites, news highlights, stocktickers, and the like. Static information could include instructions orinformation associated with elements of the website that change lessfrequently (or do not change at all), such as legal disclaimers, linksto other websites, etc. It will be appreciated that the thresholdbetween information that changes frequently or less frequently is oftendependent on the attributes of the requested information, and may bedetermined in any number of ways without departing from the spirit orthe scope of the present invention.

In step 230, content server 120, in one embodiment, uses template 150 todetermine the one or more static portions and one or more dynamicportions of the information associated with template 150. Methods fordetermining static and dynamic portions are discussed in greater detailherein. In step 240, Content server 120, in one embodiment, generatesdynamic HTML file 160 and then transmits dynamic HTML file 160 to user130. Dynamic HTML file 160 includes some or all of the dynamicinformation or data associated with the HTML file or files requestedusing HTML request 140. Dynamic HTML file 160 further includesinstructions or references for accessing the static portion of theinformation locally on user 130. It will be appreciated that in somecases, user 130 may request information that is represented by aplurality of files or sub-sets of information. If user 130 requests aHTML file associated with a URL, the web page that the HTML filerepresents could include a number of HTML files. For example, if a webpage has two frames, the web page will often be represented by threeHTML files. One file to set up the overall format of the web page andthen reference two other HTML files: one HTML file containing thecontent and control information for one frame; and another HTML filecontaining the content and control information for the other frame. Thiscould necessitate the transmission of three dynamic HTML files 160, eachone corresponding to one of the three HTML files. Accordingly, anydiscussions herein regarding the requesting, processing, or transmissionof a information associated with a single template 150 or single HTMLfile can also apply to information associated with a plurality oftemplates 150 or HTML files unless otherwise noted.

Upon receipt of dynamic HTML file 160, user 130 attempts to display theoriginal information using the dynamic portion for locally accessing thestatic portion from dynamic HTML file 110. As discussed in greaterdetail subsequently, dynamic HTML file 160 can include references, suchas JavaScript function calls, for accessing the static portion from alocal file. In step 250, user 130 determines if the static portions arelocally accessible. If the file containing the static portion is notlocated on user 130 or is not locally accessible by user 130, in oneembodiment, user 130 requests the static file by sending static request145 to remote site 105 in step 260. In step 265, remote site 105receives static request 145 and transmits static HTML file 170 to user130, where user 130 receives static HTML file 170 and stores the filelocally. In one embodiment, content server 120 generates static HTMLfile 170 upon receipt of a request for the static file and thentransmits static HTML file 170 to user 130. In another embodiment,content server 120 generates static HTML file 170 previous, during, orsubsequent to the generation of dynamic HTML file 160 and then transmitsstatic HTML file 170 to user 130 either before or after dynamic HTMLfile 160, as appropriate. In one embodiment, static HTML 170 may beidentified by use of a timestamp, where the timestamp can reference adate and/or a specific time. For example, dynamic HTML file 160 couldinclude reference static HTML file 170 by using a filename assigned tostatic HTML file 170, where the filename is formed, in part, from atimestamp associated with static HTML file 170, such as “static file010100141425.html” where “010100141425” is formed from a timestamphaving the date of Jan. 1, 2000 and a specific time of 2:14.25 PM. In atleast one embodiment, the timestamp refers to the date and/or time thatstatic HTML file 170 was created or last modified. It will beappreciated that the timestamp could, in other embodiments, indicate thedate and/or time static HTML file 170 was copied, archived, etc.

Else if the user 130 already has local access to the static HTML file170, user 130 accesses this file in step 270. In step 280, user 130 usesdynamic HTML file 170 and the locally accessible static HTML file 170 togenerate and/or display the static and dynamic portions of the originalinformation in combination. Methods for using dynamic HTML file 160 andstatic HTML file 170 to generate or display the original set ofinformation are discussed in greater detail subsequently.

By segregating a set of information, such as a web site, into a dynamicportion and a static portion, the time and/or bandwidth needed totransmit the information can be reduced since remote site 105 will onlyneed to send the dynamic portion of the information each time user 130requests the set of information, assuming user 130 is capable ofaccessing the static portion locally or that the static portion has notchanged. In the event that user 130 is requesting the set of informationfor the first time, both the static and dynamic portions may need to betransmitted at that time. However, subsequent requests for the sameunchanged set of information will often only result in the transmissionof the dynamic portion, thereby reducing the time and/or bandwidthrequired for user 130 to receive and process the set of information. Forexample, if 70% of a set of information is static information and theremaining 30% is dynamic, and there is a 5% overhead for theinstructions needed to reference the static portion locally, all otherthings being equal, there could be a reduction in transmission time of65% (100%−30%+5%/100%).

Although networked system 100 was discussed in the context of user 130requesting, receiving, and displaying one or more HTML files associatedwith a URL, information having dynamic and static portions having othermonolithic formats may be efficiently transmitted using the previousdiscussed method with appropriate modifications. For example, networkedsystem 100 could be used to download a Java applet having dynamic andstatic portions from remote site 105 to user 130.

Referring next to FIGS. 3 and 4, a method for segregating static anddynamic information is illustrated according to at least one embodimentof the present invention. As discussed previously with reference to step230 of FIG. 2, in at least one embodiment, a set of information to besent to user 130 (FIG. 1) is segregated into one or more dynamicportions and one or more static portions. An embodiment where thisinformation includes display content associated with a web site or webpage and is represented, at least in part, by one or more HTML files isillustrated for ease of discussion. The following method can also beused on other information formats, with the appropriate modifications.

After determining template 150 associated with HTML request 140 (FIG.1), content server 120 determines static and dynamic portions of a setof information represented by template 150 in step 410. In oneembodiment, static and dynamic portions are indicated by use of anidentifier. For example, template 150 could use a “CACHE@” tag toindicate static portions of an HTML file. An example of the contents ofan HTML file (template 150) using a “CACHE@” tag follows:

<HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>Example HTML</TITLE> </HEAD> <FRAMESETFRAMEBORDER=NO BORDER=0 ROWS=“100,*”> <FRAME NAME=“title”SRC=“title.html” SCROLLING=“NO”> <FRAMESET FRAMEBORDER=NO BORDER=0COLS=“155,*”> </FRAMESET> @CACHE(<SCRIPT LANGUAGE=“JavaScript”> function isblank(s) { for (var i = 0; i < s.length; i++ ) { var c =s.charAt(i); if( (c 1=‘ ’) && (c 1=‘\n’) && (c 1=‘\t’) ) return false; }return true;  } </SCRIPT>)@ @CACHE(<SCRIPT LANGUAGE=“JavaScript”> function isnotblank(s) { for (var i = 0; i < s.length; i++ ) { var c =s.charAt(i); if( (c == ‘ ’) ∥ (c == ‘\n’) ∥ (c == ‘\t’) ) return false;} return true;  } </SCRIPT>)@ <BODY> </BODY> </HTML>

In the previous example HTML file, the portions of the HTML filestarting with “@CACHE” and ending with “@” are, in this example,considered as static portions of the HTML file while the remainder ofthe HTML file can be considered dynamic information since it is notpreceded by “@CACHE(”. Content server 120 can then use the “@CACHE” tagto determine the one or more static portions of template 150.Alternately, an identifier may be used to indicate the dynamic portionsof template 150. In one embodiment, identification of static and/ordynamic portions and/or the subsequent placement of identifiers, such as“@CACHE”, can be performed automatically by a utility or process onremote site 105 (FIG. 1). For example, content server 120 could analyzethe information in template 150 for known static or dynamic information,or for keywords that indicate a static or dynamic portion, etc. Inanother embodiment, static and/or dynamic portions of template 105 aredetermined and/or identified manually by an administrator or otheroperator at remote site 105. Note that care should often be taken whenusing tags such as “@CACHE” to identify static portions of a file or setof information. For example, HTML tags should not be split betweendynamic and static portions, so HTML tags and comments should becarefully analyzed to determine whether they are truly dynamic orstatic. For example, HTML comments often have unique begin and endsequences which are similar to the begin and end sequences of HTML tags.In this case, HTML comments could mistakenly be identified as a HTMLtag. As a result, the HTML comment could be mistakenly identified asdynamic when it is, in actuality, potentially causing errors in theprocessing and/or display of the static and or dynamic HTML portions.

After identifying the one or more static and/or dynamic portions oftemplate 150, static HTML file 170 representing the one or more staticportions of template 150 is generated in step 420. For example, assumetemplate 150 of FIG. 3 includes static portions 311, 313 and dynamicportions 312, 314. The contents of static portions 311, 313 are copiedinto static HTML file 170. In at least one embodiment, static HTML file170 is a JavaScript file and the contents of static portions 311, 313are formatted into a JavaScript array stored in static HTML file 170. Anexample of the contents of static HTML file 170 having a JavaScriptarray (using the previous HTML example):

A = new Array( ); A[1] = ‘<SCRIPT LANGUAGE=“JavaScript”>\r\n’+ (contents of static portion 311) ‘ function isblank(s) {‘\r\n+ ’  for(var i = 0; i < s.length; i++ ) {‘+ ’   var c = s.charAt(i);’+ ’   if((c != \′\′ ) && (c != \′\n′) && (c != \′\t\′) ) return false;’+ ’  }’+’  return true;’+ ’ }’+\r\n ’</SCRIPT\r\n>’; A[2]=‘<SCRIPTLANGUAGE=“JavaScript”>\r\n’+ (contents of static portion 313) ‘ functionisnotblank(s) {‘\r\n+ ’  for (var i = 0; i < s.length; i++ ) {‘+ ’   varc = s.charAt(i);’+ ’   if ( (c == \′\′) ∥ (c == \′\n\′) ∥ (c == \′\t\′)) return false;’+ ’  }’+ ’  return true;’+ ’ }’+\r\n ’</SCRIPT\r\n>’;

In the previous example of the contents of static HTML file 170, thecontents of static portion 311 are stored as element 1 of JavaScriptarray “A” and the contents of static portion 313 are stored as element 2of JavaScript array “A”. In other embodiments, the contents of staticportions 311, 313 can be stored in static HTML file 170 using othermethods as appropriate, such as storage in a database file, a simpletext file, and the like. As discussed previously, in one embodiment,static HTML file 170 is not generated until specifically requested byuser 130. In an alternate embodiment, a separate static HTML file 170 isgenerated for each static portion of the set of information requested byuser 130. However, this may cause additional transmission and/orprocessing effort. For example, if user 130 requests an HTML file to bedisplayed on a web browser and content server 120 delivers a pluralityof static HTML files 170, one for each static portion of the HTML file,many web browsers will do a version check on each static HTML file 170,thereby increasing the transmission time and delaying the display of theweb page represented by the HTML file. If only one static HTML file 170is transmitted, the web browser need only perform one version check.

In at least one embodiment, the filename of static HTML file 170 isgenerated based on the filename of template 150 and/or timestampassociated with template 150. For example, if the filename of template150 is “userid.tmp” and it was last modified on Jan. 1, 2001 at 12:00.00AM and if static HTML file 170 is a file having a JavaScript array, thefilename for static HTML file 170 could be “userid01012001120000.js.” Ifremote site 105 includes a number of template servers 110 and/or contentservers 120 and template 150 is mirrored across the servers of remotesite 105, care should be taken to maintain the same timestamp for allcopies of template 150 at remote site 105 if static HMTL files 170generated from template 150 (or its mirrored copies) use this namingconvention. Otherwise user 130 could request static HTML file 170 usinga filename generated on one content server 120 from another contentserver 120 that has a different filename for the same static HTML file170 because of a different timestamp.

In addition to potentially having different filenames for copies of thesame static HTML file 170, remote sites 105 with multiple contentservers 120 (or template servers 110) could cause user 130 to receivedynamic HTML file 160 from one content server 120 and subsequentlyrequest the associated static HTML file 170 from another content server120, where static HTML file 170 has not been generated on the othercontent server 120. To prevent this, in one embodiment, requests from asame user 130 within a predetermined time period are always routed tothe same content server 120 that handled the most recent request fromuser 130. The predetermined time period incorporates adequate time foruser 130 to determine whether the contents of static HTML file 170 arelocally accessible, and if not, to request static HTML file 170 from thesame content server 120. In another embodiment, static HTML file 170could be generated on a staging server at remote site 105 and thendistributed to all content servers 120.

In step 430, dynamic HTML file 160 representing one or more dynamicportions of template 150 is generated. In one embodiment, the identifieddynamic portions of template 150 are copied directly to dynamic HTMLfile 160. In another embodiment, template 150 includes instructions forthe generation of one or more dynamic portions. For example, template150 could have instructions to include the top story from a news websiteas part of the web page or web site to be generated from template 150.In this case, dynamic HTML file 160 could be generated based on theinstructions. In at least one embodiment, dynamic HTML file 160 furtherincludes static references 321, 323 used to access static portions 311,313 in static HTML file 170. In one embodiment, static references 321,323 include JavaScript function calls, such as “document.write( ),” forreferencing static portions 311, 313 in static HTML file 170 asJavaScript array elements. After generating dynamic HTML file 160, inone embodiment, the file is then transmitted to user 130 (FIG. 1). Aspreviously discussed, if dynamic HTML file 160 was generated as a resultof a first request for the file by user 130, static HTML file 170 alsomay be sent if it is not stored local to user 130. Note that althoughsteps 410–430 are illustrated in a certain order, the illustrated stepsmay be performed in any reasonable order without departing from thespirit or the scope of the present invention. Although generation ofdynamic HTML file 160 and static HTML file 170 from template 170 hasbeen discussed according to one embodiment, in another embodiment,remote site 105 generates and stores dynamic HTML file 160 and staticHTML file 170 separately, without using a template, and transmitsdynamic HTML file 160 (and/or static HTML file 170) in response to HTMLrequest 140 from user 130.

As discussed previously with reference to step 230 of FIG. 2, in atleast one embodiment, user 130 uses the dynamic HTML file 160 and staticHTML file 170 to reconstruct the original information, such as a website or web page represented by template 150. Referring to FIGS. 5 and6, a method for reconstructing and combining the dynamic and staticportions is illustrated according to at least one embodiment of thepresent invention. As mentioned previously, although the followingmethod is discussed using HTML files to display a web page on user 130,the method can be applied to other information formats and processingmethods without departing from the spirit or the scope of the presentinvention.

User 130 (FIG. 1), in one embodiment, uses static reference 321 toretrieve first static portion 311 from static HTML file 170 storedlocally on, or locally accessible to, user 130 in step 610. As discussedpreviously, if user 130 cannot locally access static HTML file 170, inone embodiment, user 130 sends a request to remote site 105 (FIG. 1) forthe file, and upon receipt, stores it locally where it can be accessed.In another embodiment, dynamic HTML file 160 includes an instruction orreference to the filename of static HTML file 170. For example, dynamicHTML file 160 could include the following line of HTML code:<script src=userid_(—)010120011200.js></script>where “src=userid_(—)010120011200.js” identifies the file“userid_(—)010120011200.js” as static HTML file 170. Upon processingthis code, a web browser on user 130 could attempt to locate the file,or alternatively, any “document.write( )” function calls subsequent tothe “script src=” line of HTML code could cause the web browser toattempt to locate the file. The “document.write( )” function call wouldthen use the JavaScript array stored in file “userid_(—)010120011200.js”as the source array. When searching for static HTML file 170, the webbrowser on user 130, in one embodiment, first checks for the file“userid_(—)010120011200.js” in storage or memory local to user 130. Ifthe file cannot be found locally, the web browser can request the filefrom remote site 105 and wait for it to be transmitted and receivedbefore continuing with the “document.write ( )” function call.

In step 620, static portion 311 is displayed in the appropriate formatby user 130, such as on a web browser. In step 630, first dynamicportion 312 is displayed by user 130. In step 640, steps 610–630 arerepeated for some or all of the static and/or dynamic portions in staticHTML file 170 and/or dynamic HTML file 160. Alternately, in anotherembodiment, the contents of the static portions (static portions 311,312[3]) and the dynamic portions (dynamic portions 312, 314) are copiedinto combined HTML file 550 in the order indicated by dynamic HTML file160. Combined HTML file 550 can then be displayed by user 130. In thiscase, combined HTML file 550 represents the information represented bytemplate 150 (FIG. 1).

The method of reconstructing and/or recombining static HTML file 170 anddynamic HTML file 160 may be clarified by use of an example. Using theprevious example of static HTML file 170 using a JavaScript array (withfilename “home0918062221.js”):

A = new Array( ); A[1] = ‘<SCRIPT LANGUAGE=“JavaScript”>\r\n’+ (contents of static portion 311) ‘ function isblank(s) {‘\r\n+ ’  for(var i = 0; i < s.length; i++) {‘+ ’   var c = s.charAt(i);’+ ’   if( (c!= ′\′) && (c != \′\n\′) && (c != \′\t′) ) return false;’+ ’  }’+’  return true;’+ ’ }’+\r\n ’</SCRIPT\r\n>’; A[2]=‘<SCRIPTLANGUAGE=“JavaScript”>\r\n’+ (contents of static portion 313) ‘ functionisnotblank(s) {‘\r\n+ ’  for (var i = 0; i < s.length; i++ ) {‘+ ’   varc = s.charAt(i);’+ ’   if ( (c == \′\′) ∥ (c == \′\n\′) ∥ (c == \′\t\′)) return false;’+ ’  }’+ ’  return true;’+ ’ }’+\r\n ’</SCRIPT\r\n>’; Anexample dynamic HTML file 160 using the JavaScript function call“document.write( )” to reference static portions: <HTML> <HEAD><TITLE>Example HTML</TITLE> </HEAD> <FRAMESET FRAMEBORDER=NO BORDER=0ROWS=“100,*”> FRAME NAME=“title” SRC=“title.html” SCROLLING=“NO”><FRAMESET FRAMEBORDER=NO BORDER=0 COLS=“155,*”> </FRAMESET> <scriptsrc=home0918062221.js></script> <script>document.write(A[1]);</script>(static reference 321) <script>document.write(A[2]);</script> (staticreference 323) <BODY> </BODY> </HTML>

The “document.write( )” function calls (static references 321, 323)reference the JavaScript array elements A[1] (static portion 311) andA[2] (static portion 313) respectively. Note also the HTML code “<scriptsrc=home0918062221.js></script>” that references the file“home0918062221.js” as static HTML file 170 and the source for the“document.write( )” function calls. After user 130 processes dynamicHTML file 160, a resulting combined HTML file 550 would appear as below:

<HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>Example HTML</TITLE> </HEAD> <FRAMESETFRAMEBORDER=NO BORDER=0 ROWS=“100,*”> <FRAME NAME=“title”SRC=“title.html” SCROLLING=“NO”> <FRAMESET FRAMEBORDER=NO BORDER=0COLS=“155,*”> </FRAMESET> <SCRIPT LANGUAGE=“JavaScript”>  functionisblank(s) { for (var i = 0; i < s.length; i++ ) { var c = s.charAt(i);if( (c 1= ′ ′) && (c 1= ′\n′) && (c 1= ′\t′) ) return false; } returntrue;  } </SCRIPT> <SCRIPT LANGUAGE=“JavaScript”>  functionisnotblank(s) { for (var i = 0; i < s.length; i++ ) { var c =s.charAt(i); if( (c == ′ ′) ∥ (c == ′\n′) ∥ (c == ′\t′) ) return false;} return true;  } </SCRIPT> <BODY> </BODY> </HTML>

Using static references 321, 323 included in dynamic HTML file 160, user130 is able to reconstruct the original information represented bytemplate 150 (FIG. 1). Since the dynamic portion of template 150 changesrelatively often, while the static portion does not, user 130 can viewweb sites or web pages having dynamic information without having todownload all of the information associated with the web site or web pageeach time the web page is accessed. Instead, only the dynamic portion isretrieved during each access, with the static portion only beingretrieved occasionally as the static portion is modified, resulting inless information to download, thereby decreasing download time and/orbandwidth used.

Referring to FIG. 7, a processing device in the form of computer system700 is illustrated according to at least one embodiment of the presentinvention. In at least one embodiment, computer system 700 represents,at least in part, template server 110, content server 120, and/or user130. Computer system 700 includes central processing unit 710, which maybe a conventional proprietary data processor, memory including randomaccess memory 712, read only memory 714, and input output adapter 722,user interface adapter 720, communications interface adapter 724, andmultimedia controller 726. Input output (I/O) adapter 726[2] is furtherconnected to, and controls, disk drives 747, printer 745, removablestorage devices 746, as well as other standard and proprietary I/Odevices. User interface adapter 720 can be considered to be aspecialized I/O adapter. Adapter 720 is illustrated to be connected tomouse 740, and keyboard 741. In addition, user interface adapter 720 maybe connected to other devices capable of providing various types of usercontrol, such as touch screen devices. Communications interface adapter724 is connected to bridge 750 such as is associated with a local or awide area network, and modem 751. By connecting system bus 702 tovarious communication devices, external access to information can beobtained. Multimedia controller 726 generally includes a video graphicscontroller capable of displaying images upon monitor 760, as well asproviding audio to external components (not illustrated). Generally,computer system 700 will be capable of implementing the system andmethods described herein.

It should be understood that the specific steps indicated in the methodsherein, and/or the functions of specific modules herein, may beimplemented in hardware and/or software. For example, a specific step orfunction may be performed using software and/or firmware executed on oneor more processing modules. In general, a system for processinginformation may include a more generic processing module and memory. Theprocessing module can be a single processing device or a plurality ofprocessing devices. Such a processing device may be a microprocessor, amicrocontroller, a digital processor, a microcomputer, a portion of acentral processing unit, a state machine, logic circuitry, and/or anydevice that manipulates the signal.

The manipulation of these signals is generally based upon operationalinstructions represented in a memory. The memory may be a single memorydevice or a plurality of memory devices. Such a memory device may be aread only memory, a random access memory, a floppy disk memory, magnetictape memory, erasable memory, a portion of a system memory, and/or anydevice that stores operational instructions in a digital format. Notethat when the processing module implements one or more of its functions,it may do so where the memory storing the corresponding operationalinstructions is embedded within the circuitry comprising a state machineand/or other logic circuitry.

Referring to FIG. 8, a block diagram representing the main modules ofcontent server 120 is illustrated according to at least one embodimentof the present invention. Content server 120, as illustrated, includestemplate parser module 810, control module 820, memory module 830, andtransmit module 840. Template parser module 810, in one embodiment,parses a set of information or a file into one or more dynamic portionsand static portions based on template 150 (FIG. 1). The methods by whichtemplate parser module 810 parses the set of information were discussedpreviously. In one embodiment, template parser module 810 may beimplemented as a set of instructions stored and retrieved from memory830 to be executed by a processor such as central processing unit 710.Template parser module 810 can also be implemented as a state machine,logic circuitry, and the like.

Control module 820, in one embodiment, controls the operation oftemplate parser 810. For example, control module 820 could direct theretrieval of template 150 from memory module 830 as well as the storageof the results of the operations of template parser module 810 ontemplate 150. As with template parser module 810, control module 820could be implemented as a set of instructions to be executed by aprocessor, a state machine, logic circuitry, and the like. It will alsobe appreciated that template parser module 810 and control module 820may be implemented on the same device or processor, or in the same setof executable instructions. Memory module 830 can include any device orsystem capable of storing information and making information availableto template parser module 810. For example, memory module 830 could beimplemented as random access memory 712, read only memory 714, a diskstorage device, and the like.

Transmit module 840, in one embodiment, is used for transmitting and/orreceiving information to and from content server 120. For example,transmit module 840 could be used to receive an updated template 150from template server 110 (FIG. 1) and then transmit the results of theoperations of template parser module 810 on template 150 to user 130(FIG. 1) as discussed previously. Transmit module 840 may be implementedas a set of executable instructions, one or more devices or systems suchas communications interface adapter 724, bridge 750, and/or modem 751(FIG. 7), or a combination thereof. It will be appreciated that contentserver 120 can include additional modules necessary to implement themethods disclosed herein without departing from the spirit or the scopeof the present invention.

Referring now to FIG. 9, a block diagram illustrating a method fortransmission of a set of information having dynamic information andstatic information is discussed according to at least one embodiment ofthe present invention. In step 910, remote site 105 (FIG. 1) receives arequest for a set of information having static information and dynamicinformation from user 130 (FIG. 1). As discussed previously, the set ofinformation, in one embodiment, is one or more HTML files that representa web page or website. In this case, user 130 uses a URL to request theone or more HTML files. In step 920, remote site 105 determines one ormore dynamic portions of the set of information requested by user 130.Using the HTML example, remote site 105, using an administrator or anautomated utility, could determine dynamic portions based on anidentifier or tag that indicates the non-dynamic portions (i.e. staticportions), or the tag could indicate the dynamic (i.e. static) portions.Alternately, remote site 105 could analyze the HTML files and make thedetermination of static or dynamic portions based on the properties ofthe portions. After determining the one or more dynamic portions, in oneembodiment, step 920 further includes generating a file having thecontents of the one or more dynamic portions, as well as references foraccessing the one or more static portions. Methods for determiningdynamic and/or static portions as well as referencing static portionswere described previously in greater detail.

In step 930, the contents of one or more dynamic portions and referencesto one or more static portions of the set of information are sent touser 130 (FIG. 1). In at least one embodiment, the references to one ormore static portions are used to retrieve the static portions from alocation local to user 130. For example, the references to one or morestatic portions could be JavaScript function calls which reference aJavaScript array, where the elements of the array contain the contentsof the one or more static portions. If user 130 is not able to accessthe one or more static portions locally, in one embodiment, user 130requests the static portions from remote site 105. After receiving thestatic portions, or if they were already located local to user 130, user130 proceeds to use the dynamic portions, the references to the staticportions, and the static portions to generate the original set ofinformation requested by user 130 from remote site 105. Methods forutilizing the dynamic portions and the references to the static portionsto generate the original set of information were discussed in greaterdetail previously.

The various functions and components in the present application may beimplemented using an information handling machine such as a dataprocessor, or a plurality of processing devices. Such a data processormay be a microprocessor, microcontroller, microcomputer, digital signalprocessor, state machine, logic circuitry, and/or any device thatmanipulates digital information based on operational instruction, or ina predefined manner. Generally, the various functions, and systemsrepresented by block diagrams are readily implemented by one of ordinaryskill in the art using one or more of the implementation techniqueslisted herein. When a data processor for issuing instructions is used,the instruction may be stored in memory. Such a memory may be a singlememory device or a plurality of memory devices. Such a memory device maybe read-only memory device, random access memory device, magnetic tapememory, floppy disk memory, hard drive memory, external tape, and/or anydevice that stores digital information. Note that when the dataprocessor implements one or more of its functions via a state machine orlogic circuitry, the memory storing the corresponding instructions maybe embedded within the circuitry that includes a state machine and/orlogic circuitry, or it may be unnecessary because the function isperformed using combinational logic. Such an information handlingmachine may be a system, or part of a system, such as a computer, apersonal digital assistant (PDA), a hand held computing device, a cableset-top box, an Internet capable device, such as a cellular phone, andthe like.

One of the preferred implementations of the invention is as sets ofcomputer readable instructions resident in the random access memory ofone or more processing systems configured generally as described inFIGS. 1–9. Until required by the processing system, the set ofinstructions may be stored in another computer readable memory, forexample, in a hard disk drive or in a removable memory such as anoptical disk for eventual use in a CD drive or DVD drive or a floppydisk for eventual use in a floppy disk drive. Further, the set ofinstructions can be stored in the memory of another image processingsystem and transmitted over a local area network or a wide area network,such as the Internet, where the transmitted signal could be a signalpropagated through a medium such as an ISDN line, or the signal may bepropagated through an air medium and received by a local satellite to betransferred to the processing system. Such a signal may be a compositesignal comprising a carrier signal, and contained within the carriersignal is the desired information containing at least one computerprogram instruction implementing the invention, and may be downloaded assuch when desired by the user. One skilled in the art would appreciatethat the physical storage and/or transfer of the sets of instructionsphysically changes the medium upon which it is stored electrically,magnetically, or chemically so that the medium carries computer readableinformation. The preceding detailed description is, therefore, not to betaken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention isdefined only by the appended claims.

In the preceding detailed description of the figures, reference has beenmade to the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof, and inwhich is shown by way of illustration specific preferred embodiments inwhich the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described insufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice theinvention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may beutilized and that logical, mechanical, chemical and electrical changesmay be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.To avoid detail not necessary to enable those skilled in the art topractice the invention, the description may omit certain informationknown to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, many other variedembodiments that incorporate the teachings of the invention may beeasily constructed by those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the presentinvention is not intended to be limited to the specific form set forthherein, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives,modifications, and equivalents, as can be reasonably included within thespirit and scope of the invention. The preceding detailed descriptionis, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of thepresent invention is defined only by the appended claims.

1. A method comprising: sending a first request from a user location foran HTML file associated with a URL address indicative of a serverlocation; receiving the request at the server location; dividing theHTML file at the server location into a first portion containing staticinformation and a second portion containing dynamic information;determining a file name of the first portion of the HTML file at theserver location; sending the second portion of the HTML file and thefile name to the user location; determining, based on the file name, ifa representation of the first portion of the HTML file is available atthe user location; accessing the representation of the first portion ofthe HTML file at the user location when the step of determiningindicates the representation is available at the user location; sendinga second request from the user location for the representation of thefirst portion of the HTML file to the server location when the step ofdetermining indicates the representation of the first portion is notavailable at the user location; receiving, at the server location, thesecond request for the representation of the first portion of the HTMLfile; sending the representation of the first portion of the HTML fileto the user location in response to the second request; receiving therepresentation of the first portion at the user location; anddisplaying, at the user location, information using the representationof the first portion of the HTML file and the second portion of the HTMLfile, such that the information displayed is the same as the informationthat would have been displayed by the HTML file.
 2. The method of claim1, wherein the HTML file includes one or more occurrences of a tag,wherein each occurrence of the tag identifies static information.
 3. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the HTML file includescontrol information to access the first portion.
 4. The method of claim1, wherein the static information and the dynamic information are storedin separate files.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the staticinformation and the dynamic information are stored as different filetypes.
 6. The method of claim 4, wherein the file name of the firstportion includes a timestamp.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein thedynamic information is based on a HTML language and the staticinformation is stored in a format based on a JavaScript language.
 8. Themethod of claim 7, wherein the static information includes a JavaScriptarray, where each element of the array includes a portion of the staticinformation.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the server locationincludes a plurality of servers.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein thefirst request and the second request are directed to a same server ofthe plurality of servers when the second request is received at theserver location within a predetermined time period of the receipt of thefirst request at the server location.